Meeting notes from March 17, 2014

Posted by John Scepanski525.40pc on March 21, 2014

DeForest Area Progressives
Meeting Notes
March 17, 2014
Next meeting: Monday, March 24, 2014, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Isabel's, 816 South Street, DeForest
There were 14 people present at the March 17th meeting. Good turnout!
Terri Treinen joined us for the first hour. Terri is running for DeForest Area School Board. She is a 1988 graduate of DeForest High School. She has her MBA from Edgewood. Three years ago she became interested in the school district when the discussions were going on about administrators' raises. She has a child in attendance in the district. She feels the current school board is too remote. She does not care too much for the "policy governance" method of doing board business. If elected, she will be more engaged and "in the buildings" of the schools, as the current board has not been. She feels the jury is still out on Common Core. She feels that the budget cuts of the last few years at the state level are having a negative impact, although DASD is not as impacted as other districts. She thinks the board needs more give and take with the public, and she is appalled at the poor public attendance at school board meetings. There is no video of the meetings, and meeting minutes are vague and uninformative. Terri does not like the elimination of elementary school librarians and reading specialists. There are two reading specialists in the district now, but we need more, as reading is of utmost importance. We talked of many other subjects. All of those in attendance seemed very impressed with Terri Treinen and some volunteered to work for her election.
We discussed activities afoot to promote the passage of "YES" votes on the two referendums on the ballot April 1st to get money out of politics (or at least to lessen its influence). Signs are going up. A lit drop is in the works. We had decent attendance at the Mike McCabe presentation, along with coverage by Lauren Anderson of the local news media, the DeForest Times-Tribune. At least two and maybe more DAP members will be out on the curbs holding up "VOTE YES" signs the day of voting.
DAP has a significant role in the Wisconsin Grassroots Network's 6th Annual Festival this Saturday at Wisconsin Heights High School in Mazomanie. We will have our DAP publicity table, kindly furnished and paid for by Frank D. Several of us will be facilitating breakout sessions. Special thanks to Marcia for pushing us all to get acquainted with George Lakoff's writings, as George will be the featured keynote speaker.
Marcia reported on the CELDF (Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund) training she attended recently. CELDF teaches communities -- towns and villages -- how to defend themselves against large corporate takeovers of their local resources. We are no longer the targets of concern by our state legislatures. Corporations are. Many communities around the country are formulating and passing their very own bills of rights (for example, the rights to clean air and clean water). CELDF helps those communities pass ordinances that can help them to defend against corporate exploitation. We will hear more on this at future meetings. In the meantime, do a computer search for CELDF and peruse their website.
Ginny reported on the George Ferriter gathering in Cambria last weekend, where George announced his candidacy for Wisconsin's 42nd Assembly District rep against Keith Ripp, whom some of us have been trying to unseat for several elections now. Five or six DAP-pers were in attendance, and a good time was had by all. Work for George, vote for George!
Janet mentioned in brief her work with OFA in preparation for the Mary Burke campaign against Scott Walker for governor.
Come to the WGN Festival tomorrow, and come to the next DAP meeting Monday.
Solidarity Forever!
John